2.4 Organizing a Chapter

The organizational structure for a Society Chapter depends upon its size and the extent of its activities. The minimum Chapter requirements are:

• maintain a membership of at least ten, other than students
• hold at least two technical meetings per year
• maintain a level of activity acceptable to the IEEE Regional Director and Society President.

IEEE Regional Activities evaluates each inactive Chapter carefully and provides support to make inactive Chapter viable. A Chapter is considered active if it holds at least two technical meetings per year. A Chapter is placed on probation if it fails to submit any meeting reports. IEEE will recommend that a Chapter be dissolved if it remains on probation for three consecutive years.

Petitions are often received seeking to establish Joint Chapters with other IEEE Societies or to change existing Chapters to joint Chapters. Joint Chapters are permitted and are treated like other Chapters. The Chapter Chair must be a member of one of the Societies that comprise the Chapter. Joint Chapters should maintain close communications with Area Committees and Chapters Committee (just like dedicated Chapters).

The number and types of officers that lead a Chapter depend on the needs and resources of the Chapter. A Chapter is administered by an Executive Committee, which may consist of only one officer -- the Chair. Other possible positions for the Executive Committee include:

Senior Past Chair
Publicity Chair
Junior Past Chair
Membership Chair
Vice-Chair
Arrangements Chair
Secretary-Treasurer
Student Relations Chair
Program Chair
Members of the Board of Governors living in the area